I grew up with Eric from 4th grade until his death. He was one of my good friends, and I often spent time at his house to hangout and play. He was kind-hearted, creative, bright, and while maybe a bit shy at times, was very engaging to be around. We were also paperboys together for the Denver Post working out of the same paper station right near Colfax and Albion. I do remember his mother and her pottery, but I don't believe that was the reason she was out that night. I recall that she was out on a date. Speculation from the police and news at the time was that there was no sign of forced entry or a struggle and it appeared that Eric had opened the door to his attacker - which may have meant he knew them, or just as possible, he simply opened a knock at the door because he was a sweet trusting kid. He was apparently not just tied up, but sexually assaulted, and then stabbed multiple times. I still have vivid memories of the news showing the police carrying bloody sheets out of his house. His death was devastating for all of us who knew him as a gentle soul. It rocked our neighborhood and the community of kids who knew him from elementary school. It was our first encounter with the evil that people are capable of and many of us faced parental restrictions on playing outside after dark as a result, and certainly the demand for sitters went up even though many of us were teens by this time. My parents wouldn't leave me and my sister home alone for months as the case remained unsolved and there was a ton of fear in the community. Eric's funeral still sticks in my mind. Every few years, his murder resurfaces for me and I run searches to see the status of the case. I would like to see this crime solved. If there is an ounce of DNA from the crime, I wish the police would run it through a reverse ancestry process to see if they can find the killer. Eric deserves justice. So do his parents.
TriciaManager Websleuths.com
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